Machine for making coated woven tubes



March 6, 1934. J. A. KENNEDY MACHINE FOR MAKING COATED WOVEN TUBES 5 Sheefs-Sheet 1 Filed Avril 21, 1953 INVENTOR Jams 0h 14. Kennedy BY AO ATTORNEY J. A. KENNEDY momma FOR MAKING comma WOVEN TUBES March 6, 1934.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 21, 1933 LT //Q E Lw A WVV, 4W4 5 w INVENTOR Jmeph 6 Kennedy ATTORNEY March 6, 1934. J, A, KENN DY 1,949,476

MACHINE FOR MAKING COATED WOVEN TUBES Filed April 21, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Jmepg ,4. Kennedy J ATTORNEYS Patented ltlar. (i, 1934 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE Fon MAKING COATED wo'vEN' TUBES Joseph A. Kennedy, Pawtucket, R. 1., asslgnor to Anaconda Wire & Cable Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 21, 1933, Serial No. 667,190

18 Claims. (Cl. 139-13) The invention aims to provide improvements mandrel 14 being guided by track 16 and profor circular looms and the like with particular pelled in a manner well known in the art. The reference to means for applying an impervious shuttles lay the filling threads in a conventional coating or lining, such as rubber to the interior and well known manner in the shed formed or to both the interior and exterior of the tubing between warp threads, indicated diagrammaticalduring the time that the component warp and 1y at 18, 20, 22 and 24. The warp threads pass filling strands of such tubing are interwoven. An through eyes 26 on heddles which are reciprocatimportant feature of the invention relates to the ed by known cam mechanism 2'7 so as to change provision of a hollow mandrel, which crosses the the shed and thus cause the warp threads to pass plane at which the warp and filling strands are successively over and under the successive turns interwoven, the mandrel being entirely open at or convolutions of the filling or shuttle threads. the end, so as to permit of coating material being The fabric thus formed by interweaving of. the discharged in an axial direction. Coactlng with warp and shuttle threads about the mandrel 14 the open-ended mandrel, I provide a flexibly or forms a tube t which is withdrawn through a 15 floatingly supported element adapted to properly guide 28 as fast as its construction progresses, distribute the coating material over the interior whereby the weaving constantly takes place at well thereof, this element also being adapted to substantially the same plane or level, and the tube exert a slight lateral pressure on the coating maunder construction is led away, by an overhead terial, so as to smooth and even the coating. feed-wheel (not shown) in the direction of the While not limited thereto, the present inven arrow 1:, at a speed equal to the rate at which its 75 tion is well suited for use in combination withthe length is increased by the addition of successive type of circular loom shown in my prior Paten turns or convolutions of the filling thread. 1,327,677, granted January 13, 1920. v The mandrel 14 besides serving as the form The present invention will be more fully apabout which the filling threads are wound in the parent from the following detailed description weavin 0 the tubular Web also Serves the 80 when read in connection with the accompanypurpose of a conduit for conducting fluid ing drawings, in whichor semi-fluid coating material into fthe interior Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional. view of acircular of the newly constructed tube for the purpose loom similar to that shown in my prior patent, f p ov d ng a coating lining thereforbut modified to illustrate improvements hrein- The apparatus, as thus far described in deafter more fully disclosed; tail, is substantially identical with that shown Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale iland described in my pr vi us patent. In my lustrating attachments to the loom which conformer patent, the coating material emanating stitute the chief features of the present improvefrom the mandrel was discharged latera y ment;- through openings in fixed member secured to 90 Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the hollow manthe end thereof.

drel and floatingly supported distributing mem- According to my pr t inv n i h m nber; drel instead of being closed at the end is open Fig. 4 is a view of the distributing member of ended and the coating material is expelled axi- 44 Fig. '3 detached; ally and uniformly distributed by a floatingly 95 Fig. 5 illustrates a modified form of securing supported distributing element. positioned adjameans for the distributing element; cent the open ended mandrel. This enables me Fig. 6 is a detail side View of a wiping nipple to discharge the coating-material in an unintershown in section in Fig. 2; rupted endwise directed stream of substantially 45 Fig. '7 is a plan view thereof. annular form, the annular form of stream being Although the invention comprises as an elemade possible by the coaction and relationship ment thereof a circular loom, yet this part of the between the open ended tube and the distributing combination is not restricted to any particular element. type of loom. For illustrative purposes, I have As best shown in detail in Fig. 3, the distributchosen a circular loom of the type shown in Pating element, indicated at 30, is of substantially m5 ent 1,327,677, granted to me on January 13, 1920. cylindrical form provided with a rounded ex- So much of the loom as is material for an undertremity 32 at its outer end and a rounded end 34 standing of the present invention is shownin Opposite the open end 36 of the mandrel. The Fig, 1. In this figure, 10 and 12 represent shutdistributing element in the embodiment illustles which travel in the circular path about a trated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, is floatingly supported in spaced relationship to the open end of the mandrel by means of a fine flexible steel wire 38 secured to an anchorage plug 40 having screw threads 42, which engage similar threads formed in the enlarged base 44 to which the mandrel is secured.

The flexible supporting member 38 extends substantially axially of the mandrel. The coating material which may be rubber latex is forced from a supply tank 46 by means of air pressure from a suitable source under control of the shutoff valve 48. Connected with the supply tank, there is a pipe 50 having a control valve 52 therein, this pipe leading to an enlarged chamber 54 formed in the base 44 to which the hollow spindle is secured. As thus arranged, it is apparent that the air pressure will cause the rubber latex or other coating material to be expelled in an annular stream from the open end 36 of the mandrel. As the coating material is discharged, the floatingly supported distributing element will .automatically center itself with respect to the component strands formed thereabout and will thus insure a uniform distribution of the coating material on all parts of the interior raceway of the tube. The distributing element is of suflicient length to prevent the rubber latex from by-passing it and thus plugging up the tube. I regard it of extreme importance to floatingly or flexibly support the distributing element. This is especially true in coating tubing of small size of the order of an inch inside diameter or less. I have found in practice that with the methods and apparatus heretofore in use, it is extremely diificultto control the even distribution of the coating material on all parts of the interior raceway. It is my belief that this difflculty is due largely to the fact that as the tube leaves, the weaving spindle, being of flexible material, moves slightly out of alignment, thus leaving one side of the tube heavily coated and the other side with a thinner coating. This difliculty is overcome by the present improvement, which contemplates the use of a floatingly supported distributing member.

The thickness of coating applied can be controlled to an accurate degree by varying the diameter of the member 30 and a nicety of regulation can be obtained by adjusting the element 30 toward or from the open end of the mandrel, such adjustment being effected by turning the threaded plug 40.

The floating support for the distributing element may take the form of the fine steel wire 38 shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. Such a flexible support will permit the distributing element to float laterally in right or left so as to become centered with the tube. But, the wire being relatively stiff will not permit the distributing element to rise and fall. I contemplate, however, in some cases, to permit the floating element to also rise and fall and to this end I sometimes substitute for the wire 38, of Figs. 1 to 4, a piece of fine cotton or similar fabric thread, such as shown at 56 in Fig. 5, this thread being secured at one end to a wire loop or eye 58 formed on the lower part of the distributing element 30 and at the other end to a wire loop or eye 60 carried by the screw plug 42 The thread or string 56, it will be understood, being limp will permit the distributing element 30 to rise and fall depending upon the volume of rubber latex or other coating material flowing outwardly from the open end of the hollow mandrel 14.

The pipe 50 for supplying coating material to the hollow mandrel enters through the side of the loom instead of axially as in my former patent. To make room for such a side entering pipe, one of the heddles is removed and an overhead heddle substituted therefor. head heddle is actuated by means of a suitable connection with another of the typical cam actuated heddles.

A further aspect of the invention relates to means for evening and smoothing any part of the coating material, which may permeate between the interstices of the warp and filling strands, or to smooth and distribute such coating material as may be applied to the exterior of the tube. To these ends; I provide a tubular shell 62 which surrounds the exterior of the woven tube, this shell being secured to a hub 64 of a fixed guide bracket 66. At its upper end, the shell carries a split bushing 68 secured in place by a set screw As the woven and interiorly coated tube passes through the dpe'ning '12 in the bushing, any part of the coating material which has permeated through to the exterior thereof is somewhat smoothed and evened by the bushing. The Woven tube then progresses through a pan 74 supported on top of the shell 62. This pan '74 may in some cases be filled or partially filled with a substance for impregnating or coating the exterior of the woven tube. Regardless of whether or not additional coating or impregnating material is supplied to the pan 74, I provide a cupshaped wiping nipple '76 of rubber or the like having a central wiping opening 78 through which Such overthe interiorly coated tube passes and also having I a number of additional holes 80 for bleeding the excess material. This wiping nipple '76 is preferably floatingly supported by a plurality of flexible strings 82 secured to studs 84 provided at the upper end of the pan 74, these strings passing through suitable apertures 86 located at properly spaced points around the periphery of the lower end of the wiping nipple.

. The cupped form of the wiping nippleis important for it serves to retain an annular bodyof the coating material in contact with the woven tube as the latter is fed away from the weaving point. The excess material bleeds through the holes '76 and flows over the exterior of the nipple and drips back into the pan 74. The resiliency of the cup gives a yielding wipe and the flexibility of the strings coupled with such resiliency provides a combination which effectively keeps the wiping nipple centered regardless of any lateral motion of the completed tube as the machine.

The pan 74 has an overflow spout 88 and an overflow cup 90 is secured to the lower end of the shell 62 for catching any overflow of material.

There is also a disc or plate 92 secured adjacent the base of the hollow mandrel so as to prevent any overflowing coating material from flowing into the rotating member $34, which carries the cams 27 for elevating and depressing the heddles.

it is fed from From the foregoing, it is apparent that the invention provides improved coating distributing means adapted for use in combination with a collection of coacting instrumentalities constructed, arranged and operable to produce a woven fabric tube at a given plane. It is also apparent that one aspect of the invention relates to the provision of a hollow open ended mandrel crossing the weaving plane adapted to effect an endwise discharge of coating material into the interior of the newly woven tube and a coacting element flexibly supported beyond the open end of the mandrel, which is effective to uniformly distribute coating material over the inner surface of the tube. It is apparent that the invention also contemplates the improvements just referred to in combination with means effective towipe such coating material as permeates through to the exterior wall of the tube, or for wiping the coating material applied to the exterior of the tube, so as to impart a smooth substantially uniform outer finish thereto.

While I have described the specific details of the particular embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, it is to be understood that the description and drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense and" that the appended claims are to be construed as broadly as is consistent with the prior state of the art.

What I claim is:-

1. A machine for constructing and lining tubular fabrics comprising incombination a collection of coaoting instrumentalities constructed, arranged and operable to produce a tubular fabi'ic at a given plane, a hollow open ended mandrel crossing said plane and entering the newly constructed tube, means for discharging a fluid material therein from the end of said mandrel and an element flexibly supported and spaced beyond the open end of said mandrel constructed and arranged to evenly distribute and smooth the fluid material over the". interior surface of said newly formed tube.

2. A machine for constructing and lining tubular fabrics comprising in combination a collection of coacting instrumentalities constructed,

arranged and operable to produce a tubular fabric at a given plane, a hollow open ended mandrel crossing said plane and entering the newly constructed tube, means for discharging a fluid material therein from the end of said mandrel, an element for distributing and smoothing said material and a flexible selfaligning member having one end secured to said element and another end secured to a fixed support.

3. A machine for constructing and lining tubular fabrics comprising in combination a collec-= tion of coacting instrumentalities constructed. arranged and operable to produce a tubular fabric at a given plane, a hollow open ended mandrel crossing said plane and entering the newly constructed tube, means for discharging a fluid material. therein from the end of said mandrel and a fioatingly supported distributing element spaced beyond the open end of said mandrel.

4. A machine for constructing and lining tubular fabrics comprising in combination a collection of coaoting instrumentalities constructed.

arranged and operable to produce a tubular fabric at a given plane, a hollow open ended mandrel crossing said plane and entering the newly constructed tube, means for discharging a fluid material therein from the end of said mandrel, a distributing element movable relatively'to said mandrel, a flexible member secured thereto and an anchorage for said flexible member.

5. A circular loom including a mandrel and instrumentalities for interweaving warp threadswith ahelical weft thread about the mandrel, said mandrel being hollow and open at its outer end, an element fioatingly supported adjacent thereto and means for conducting a coating material to said mandrel, under such pressure as to cause ejection of the material from the outer end of the mandrel.

material through 6. In apparatus for producing internally coated or lined tubes, a hollow mandrel, means for interconnecting the thread-like elements of a tube about the mandrel, means for conveying a fluid id mandrel to the interior of the tube formed t ereabout,.a smoothing element and flexible supporting means therefor.

7. In apparatus for producing coated or lined tubes, a hollow mandrel, means for interconnecting the thread-like elements of a tube about the mandrel, means for conveying a fluid material through said mandrel to the interior of the tube formed thereabout, a smoothing element and a flexible member extending through the mandrel andsupporting said element beyond the open end thereof.

8. A machine for constructing and lining tubular fabrics comprising in combination a collection of coacting instrumentalities constructed, arranged and operable to produce a tubular fabric at a given plane, a hollow open ended mandrel crossing said plane and entering the newly con; structed tube, means for discharging a fluid material therein from the end of said mandrel, a distributing member and a flexible wire support therefor disposed substantially axially of said hollow mandrel.

9. An attachment for an apparatus for internally coating tubes formed. of interconnected thread-like elements comprisingaa hollow open ended mandrel about which the elements are. adapted to be interconnected and a distributing element floatingly supported beyond the open end of the mandrel, and means for conducting a coating material to the mandrel under such pressure as to cause the ejection of the material between the end of said mandrel and said distributing element.

10. An attachment for an apparatus for internally coating tubes formed of interconnected thread-like elements comprising, a hollow open ended mandrel about which the elements are adapted to be interconnected, a distributing eleinternally ment, a flexible member supporting the latter no beyond the endv of the mandrel and means for conducting a coating material to the mandrel under such pressure as to cause the ejection of the material between the end of said mandrel and said distributing element.

1 11. An attachment for an apparatus for inter-.

nally coating tubes formed of interconnected thread-like elements comprising, a hollow open ended mandrel about which the elements are adapted to be interconnected, a substantially cylindrical element flexibly supported beyond the open end of said mandrel and means for conduct-,- ing a coating material to the mandrel under such pressure as to cause the ejection of the material between the end of said mandrel and said cylindrical element. I

12. In a circular loom for weaving tubular fabric, a hollow mandrel about which the fabric is adapted to be woven, a distributor element, flexrial having a wiping opening through which the woven and coated tube passes.

14. In a circular loom for weaving tubular fabric, a hollow mandrel about which the fabric is adapted to be woven, means eflective to discharge material therefrom, and means for smoothing the material which permeates to the exterior of material having a wiping opening through which the woven and coated tube passes, flexible supporting members secured to said member and fixed anchorages for the latter.

16. In a circular loom for weaving tubular fabric, a hollow mandrel about which the fabric is adapted to be woven, means effective to discharge material therefrom, and means for smoothing the material which permeates to the exterior of the tube comprising a cupped member of resilien material having a wiping opening through which the woven and coated tube passes, a pan carryin a bushing adapted to guide the tubing and flexible string-like supports for the cupped member secured to said pan. a

17. In a circular loom for weaving tubular fabric, a mandrel about which the fabric is adapted to be woven, a pan surrounding the newly formed woven tube and a member of resilient material having a'wiping opening therein through which the tubing passes and flexible means anchoring said member to the pan.

18. In a circular loom for weaving tubular fabric, a mandrel about which the fabric isadapted to be woven, said mandrel being vertically disposed, a fixed support above the latter carrying a shell, whose lower end is providedwith a guide opening surrounding the mandrel, a bushing secured to the shell and having a guide opening therein axially aligned with the mandrel, a pan surrounding the bushing adapted to hold a coating material, a cupped resilient member having a wiping opening substantially in axial alignment with said mandrel and flexible means for 100 anchoring said member to said pan.

JOSEPH A. KENNEDY. 

